BELEK, Turkey — International sports federations have complained to the IOC about the chronic delays in Rio de Janeiro, saying they need to consider a Plan B' if preparations for the 2016 Olympics fall further behind.
Leaders of 18 different sports spoke out Wednesday about Rio's troubled preparations in a meeting with the International Olympic Committee executive board, exposing the growing crisis surrounding South America's first games.
Francesco Ricci Bitti, head of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations, said Rio represents "the most critical situation in the preparations to the games that has happened in the last 20 years at least.'"
Speaking on behalf of the 28 sports in the games, the Italian urged IOC president Thomas Bach to make another trip to Brazil soon to discuss the situation with government officials.